"that the band 144-146 MHz is allocated to the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite on a primary basis in all Regions and may be considered for possible new allocations to the aeronautical mobile service on a primary basis"

Summary: EURAO wants to convey the concerns of the global radio amateurs community about the recent proposal from France to reconsider the 144-146 MHz band as a primary allocation to the Aeronautical Mobile service, nowadays allocated to Amateur Service in primary basis, and express its firm commitment to work so that it continues as before. Proposal:Reject to include in WRC-23 agenda any item about reallocating the 144-146 MHz band to any other service than Amateur service.Background:The European Radio Amateurs’ Organization (EURAO), a recognized stakeholder and observer of CEPT/ECC, represents the interests of radio amateurs in Europe, and beyond. More than a hobby, Amateur radio is a good way to allow people, no matter the age, gender or nationality, to learn about technology, keep in touch with other cultures, ways of thinking, practice solidarity, develop personal and professional skills, carry out joint projects with schools, universities and companies, etc.

No doubt Amateur radio is also of great help in: developing countries, emergency communications, health, education, etc. Without going further, some of EURAO members carry out an outstanding work in this sense: with children, with indigenous communities, with migrants, etc.

144-146 MHz is an small segment of VHF, known as 2 meters band. It is the most popular band among radio amateurs, with lots of users, equipments and infrastructure world wide: analog and digital repeaters, ballons, beacons, satellites, ISS, moon bounce communications, emergency networks, unmaned stations, etc.

In the last week EURAO received many comments and concerns from a lot of radio amateurs, not only from Europe, because any modification in this band at ITU level may affect all radio amateurs worldwide.

For this reason EURAO is of the opinion of not reconsidering the 144-146 MHz band in the WRC-23 agenda.

i

Ladies and Gentlemen

We are very aware of the need in frequencies of the professional operators and of Thales's request, but it is this day impossible to envisage the division of the band 144-146 MHz in region 1, 2 and 3 and220-225 MHz in region 2. 144-146 MHz is assigned to the radio hams in exclusive primary status, 220-225 in secondary status. These bands are strongly used by the set of the radio hams of the world, 144-146 MHz is one of first bands exploited by all the radio hams including the novices and the beginners. The ease of exploitation and the cost reduces in fact a band very easy to use.

We are not technically afraid of the arrival of the uses that wish Thales, but we can assert that whatever is the technology that they will use, the transmissions Earth-air and Air-earth will not be reliable.

We use, for more than 10 years, these connections Earth-air and Earth-space during flights of stratospheric balloons and during connections with the space station ISS, with any sorts of sensors which pass on their data on the ground in VHF, we also pass on orders to the sensors and we can assert with certainty that these transmissions are widely disrupted by the other close emissions VHF. Our transmissions not having the necessity of being reliable 100% are made low power because the brilliance at high altitude is important, they limit themselves unless 5 flights a year for a duration of 3:00 am by operation, thus the cohabitation is possible because we announce our experiences and the radio hams collaborate easily and remain attentive to these projects which we make with schools.

In Thales's project, the cohabitation is impossible and unthinkable. It is necessary to know that we use directive antennas with strong earnings, we can reach more than 2000 watts PAR, and being given the reach of the VHF which can go to 500 km, see 2000 km during the contacts with ISS, it is inconceivable that the traffic radio ham stops every time a plane passes in the perimeter of a radio ham. Thus it is reluctantly that we have to refuse the request of Thales's cohabitation on bands radio hams whatever is the status which will be proposed to them.

Having consulted the set of the radio hams and their associations, we ask you by the present not to put in the agenda of the CMR-23 Thales's request on the portions of bands VHF assigned to the radio hams.

We thank you beforehand for being willing to consider our request.Please accept, Ladies and Gentlemen, the expression of our distinguished feelings

For board of the URC, FFBRA and WHROSylvie Delassus.Marc Chamley ANTAWith the support of the DR@F